Serenity's Web
by The-Music-of-hands
Summary: I have a secret, yeah, sure I love a guy. Sure our relationship is a secret. Sure, we have hidden kisses under our blankets. But I have a better one, a juicier one, a painful one. It stays a secret, because nobody seems to look under the makeup. x Ann x
1. Rippling Depression

_A/N_

_Disclaimer: Okay, let's go down to basics here. Technically, I don't own "Harvest Moon" But I do own a copy for my gameboy... Plus... I own a Can Of Tuna! _

_Hello! This is my first fanfiction. It' s a series of One-shots that are all connected in some way or another. This is the first one-shot: Karen. My Favorite Character...Actually I like all of them. Anyway, I should clear some things up a bit. Like the rating. This one-shot may not deem worthy of an "M" rating. But I implore, people below fourteen "should not" be reading this. This is just a warning, I can't tell you what to do, i'm not your mother. But just so I don't get blamed or anything that's all. This wil be a romance, but...still angst. As said before, angst is my God. And one last thanks to my sister, who helped me come up with half the plot, yet was too chicken to write it herself. Thank you guys for reading!_

_The-Music-Of-Hands_

Serenity's Web

_Karen-Rippling Depression Chapter One_

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

June 4rth 1990

_Karen Wilcox 10:40 P.M._

Clouds drifted in through the musky air, and Karen huddled on the loose wooden pier, arms wrapped around her knees as she stared at the ocean rolling listlessly. A soft breath of wind tousled her greasy hair, and a slight shiver ran down her arms and through her legs. Summer had just begun, the chilling effects of spring still lingering on their last bits of life. Karen knew better than to wear shorts when it was cold out, but they were the only thing she had clean at the minute.

Somewhere the cries of a foghorn echoed against the moon and down to the beach where she was sitting, her eyes dull, and distracted. Sighing, she let a single drop of salty water dribble down from the corner of her eye. She didn't want to feel this way; she didn't really want to feel anything at the particular moment.

Between her Father and Mother constantly battling with their relationship, Gray leaving her for the newest blonde civilian, and Rick-

Karen shuddered and took a deep breath of salty humid air. The thought of him still haunted her mind, and she lived with the fact everyday that no matter what she did, the memory would not erase itself. Nobody wanted her now, nobody cared enough to spare anything after Rick had happened, and she was worthless, stained, and imperfect. She knew above all other things that it was all she would ever be.

The wind intensified, and Karen started to take her shoes off. She wanted to be numb, she didn't want to feel, she didn't want to smell, she didn't want to see, she didn't…want to be anything. Dipping her leg in the constantly moving water, the icy tones bit at her skin, tingling pricks of pain spreading through her foot right up to her knees. Leaning back, she let her legs linger in the frigid water, and put her arms behind her head, creating a makeshift pillow. The stars were beautiful tonight, and as soon as they became beautiful, they were quickly covered with a dark grey cloud…because in reality, the beautiful ones had always been deemed the imperfect.

Thinking this, she lifted her leg out of the water and pinched the skin slightly. No feeling at all… That is what she wanted to be, nothing. Stretching her arms, a yawn forced its way out of her mouth, and she blinked a few times, clearing out the fog in her eyes. The lull of the waves proved to be tantalizing, and she had half a mind to just jump in and drift away. Brows furrowing, she dug her nails into her arm. What was she doing, thinking things like that? People needed her… Lies, lies, lies, lies. Who really needed her? Who really wanted her? Who would give anything to be with her? No one would want that…

So when she floated away, who would notice, who would care?

She stared at the water and dipped her legs back into the water, wincing at the sudden burst of cold. Her ankles went first, then her knees, now her waist. She took her hair barrette out of her dark blonde oily hair and set it by her shoes. How much further until she could finally become what she had dreamed of for ages, how much further did she have to go to become nothing?

She walked deeper, and the waves consumed her shoulders. It was time to take the ticket, and go to the place, where she could be anything. The waves sung as they crashed against the nearby rocks, rush in, rush out, rush in, and rush out, an endless song. Her neck went next and then her head. Then, she felt herself drifting slowly away, and she smiled, the waves sounding like laughter under the surface. While the shimmering moon waved a solemn goodbye as she drifted into the ocean, the bubbles waved a welcome hello. The water rolled her with it, and she danced, she sung, she laughed, as the water lolled her through its mouth and down its throat.

Then Karen knew that she would die as she blinked and stared into nothing, remembering something she said to Gray long ago.

_'The sounds of the ocean always make me feel at peace' _

_x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x_

_A/N_

_I feel so guilty doing this, but, it's a plot point that we cannot avoid. Anyway, see you next time and thank you so much for reading this! Let me know if you have any idea's or the what-not. Ill be happy to converse with another human being. Remember, I use flames to melt my marshmellow's! _

_The-Music-Of-Hands_


	2. Apologize

Serenity's Web Chapter Two

June 4rth 1990

_Gray Mitchell 8:00 P.M._

Gray picked at a button on his faded blue dress shirt, wishing that he could just take it off and wear something normal. A platinum blonde bustled about in the other room, muttering things like cleanliness, and society's upbringing, and a whole lot of nonsense that Gray did not care for. Sometimes, he had no idea why he wanted to be together with Rosalie. Maybe it was her riches, maybe it was her ability to get whatever she wanted with just one pout of her lower lip, or maybe, it was her image. Her slender frame, an average bust, supple legs that were in shape, those perfect almond eyes, her lilting voice, her skin like satin… she was the image of perfection. Surprisingly he had caught her eye.

He listened to her voice one more time and then walked over to stand by his fiancés side.

"Honey, do we have to go, why can't we just spend quality time here?"

She gave him a disapproving look and then reached out to touch his arm.

"I just wanted to spend time with you… You don't like doing that?"

She fixed his collar and then kissed him lightly on the cheek, her hands pulling him towards the bedroom door. Hesitating, he looked at her and spoke softly.

"Rosalie? What are you doing?"

She gave him a crooked smile, her eyes wrinkling as she led him into her bedroom.

"I don't want to go anymore, let's stay here…" He looked at the front door, and knew that he should be walking out the door to apologize to Karen; he knew he should not be doing this, but, even though he knew, the thought did not make him move for the front door. Instead, he kissed her fully on the lips, his hands fervently pulling his shirt off and kissing her face everywhere.

She clumsily removed her royal blue satin dress, and pushed him up against the wall, index finger stroking the skin on his chest. Her voice was breathless as he grabbed the small of her back and tumbled to the ground, his lips tracing patterns down to her chest. She mumbled disconnected sentences, and pulled his pants down along with his boxers. Grabbing his hair, she let out a squeak as his chilled hands stroked her lower stomach, her hips pushing forward unconsciously as he put pressure on the lower parts of her body. Heat enveloped them, and he looked at her, while she nodded yes, their breath coming out in small short gasps.

"Gray… We are doing this right?"

He nodded and then, the breathing stopped for a moment, before gasps erupted every second. The temptation was too much for Gray to resist, and during those five minutes when he and Rosie were connected, he forgot who Karen was…

Almost three hours later, Gray lay on the queen size bed; Rosalie nestled beside him, her soft breathing indicating that she was finally asleep. Scooting quietly off the bed trying not to wake her up, he pulled a sweatshirt on and the wrinkled pair of pants still lying on the floor. He smiled at her curled up form and then walked out of the room and into the living room. The front door loomed ahead and Gray was determined to at least get a little alone time while Rosalie was still fast asleep. Pushing the front door open, he stumbled out into the chilly early summer air, taking deep gulps of the fresh salty wind that blew in from the ocean.

He felt wrong, he knew that he had done wrong, and now he was trying to escape that. Starting out towards Karen's house, he stared up at the sky, the stars blinking and fading in and out as the gray clouds passed overhead. When he reached the front door, he heard voices by the gate that lead to the backyard. Karen's father Jeff, and Mary's Mother Anna, whispered quietly behind the apple tree, the rustling of cloth filling the air. At that moment, disgust filled his stomach, for he knew that he was no different from Karen's father and Mary's mother. He felt dirty and unclean.

The sounds of their two bodies declared that Karen somehow knew about this and was not at her house. Gray walked towards the beach, where he and Karen used to spend hours just holding hands and staring at the water, playing guessing games, and telling each other secrets that no one else knew. There was a chance that Karen would be there, just staring at the ocean as she used to do before everything that had happened.

Gray walked down the sandy beach and to the pier, his bleary eyes scanning for any sign of Karen. As his eyes went in and out of focus, he noticed two lumps lying on the wood near the far end of the pier, animals, or rocks maybe… Walking slowly while rubbing his red-rimmed eyes, he kneeled in front of the objects and discovered that they were Karen's boots. She only took her shoes off when she felt like dipping her feet into the ocean. Gray's eyes widened as he took note of how dangerously close to the edge they were. He scanned the bare wood, looking for a note or something that could tell him what was going on. Instead, something cool and metallic touched his fingertips, and he looked down, just to see the Barrette that he had given her lying on the wood, abandoned.

Clutching the Barrette in his fist, he looked out to the waves reaching out their hands and then pulling them back, reminding him of a poem Mary had once written for him. As he sat there on the wooden pier, something Karen had told him long ago replayed in his mind, the mystery solved. It told him, that, he would never, get to say, that he was still in love and that he was sorry.

_'The sounds of the ocean always make me feel at peace' _


	3. Hypocrite

_A/N_

_Hello, third chapter One-shot thing. Sorry it took long to update. Well, welcome to Mary's world! A special thanks to Jane Cooper for being the first brave reviewer! Thank-You!_

_-The-Music-of-hands_

June 4rth 1990

_Mary Valera 5:30 P.M._

I am sitting here at my desk, trying to pay attention to the new story plot that has been building up inside of me for weeks now. Of course, I find it a bit hard to think when my mother unexpectedly barges into _my_ room and situates herself on _my _bed, while lecturing me on being a pure girl and adultery and all the sexual purity stuff that I am supposed to be following. I do follow it, of course, only to a certain extent. I mean, it is hard to follow your mother's rules when she breaks them five minutes later by whoring around with her best friend's husband. I am pure enough I suppose, it is not as if I can sleep around anyway, the boy that I like is a criminal and is being charged for a case of rape. Of course, no one else see's that he did it because the passion was too hard to hold on to, only I notice that.

He is under house arrest right now, and sometimes, I sneak out and go to see him. The last time was three weeks ago, when his sister Popuri was out being chummy with Won the sales man. I always thought she had it in for Kai…guess I was wrong.

Sometimes I wish I looked like the girl Rick used to love; I wish I looked like Karen. A supple body curved in all the right places, her bust not too big, but not small either, her hands dainty and small. I wish I had lips like hers, full, light creamed pink, just like little peach wedges stacked perfectly together. It reminds me of our kisses.

Anyway, the last time we only kissed. I didn't do anything major, yet. All we have done so far is kiss, and maybe touch. Of course, we both have our clothes on, as it would be too hard to put them back on before, his sister gets home. When I look at him, I do not see a criminal, I see a lost boy, just trying to get by in the world. Everyone does wrong things, and everyone deserves a second chance.

So while thinking this, I am sitting on a squeaky folding metal chair, listening to my mother drone on and on about affairs and the stuff it does to your relationship, blah, blah, blah. Does she even listen to the things that she is saying? If she did, it might do her some good, though; listening to her dull snobbish voice is doing nothing except making me sick to my stomach. I guess I am going to have to speak up…

"Yes mother, I get it…"

Oh great, now Mother is staring at me with the look of 'I wasn't finished young lady'

"Young lady, I was not finished, you will listen to what I have to say, sexual purity is a dear thing, and you need to keep it. In fact, you should not even be kissing boys until you are sure that he is the one you want to marry."

She is making me angry. In fact, you know what, I think I am just going to talk back for once, I will show her… I will get her back for all the times that she betrayed our family and cheated on her own husband.

"Mother, don't talk to me like you are so innocent. I know where you go every night, whoring around with your best friend's husband. So don't you dare preach to me about purity, you hardly know the meaning yourself!"

Uh oh, I am in for it now. She has just slapped me and started screaming about lying and false truths. My nice blue flower vase Rick gave me has just been thrown at me, it's broken, blue shards splayed out against my grey carpet like little pricks of water on a pane of glass... Well, at least she is gone…though; the glassy mess shall be hard enough to pick up with bare hands.

The pen quivers in my hands as I drop it and stare at the mess; blue-gray ocean misted glass spreads out on my floor in masses and clumps like Luke-warm oatmeal ten minutes after it's been sitting in the bowl just waiting… An iris, one that is limp and torn, stares at me in the face, and a flashing image of Karen spoons itself into my head. Her eyes swollen from crying, face scratched, and her sobs a medley of terror, disgust, and heartbreak. And I just stare back and blink, a smile lurking at the corners of my pale tan lips. I shouldn't be laughing, but…it's funny…hilarious in fact that, Karen, the one whose father is sleeping with my mother, the one who claimed Gray right when she saw him, the one who left Rick, _my _boyfriend for some guy who looks for whores…and she got nowhere… Somehow, when I see her misery, I see a shadow of what _I _was, of what _I _used to be, of what _she _used to make me. And, when I pick up my pen, and ignore the glass, I laugh and hand Karen an imaginary toast, to all of us! To our life! To _revenge_!

My thoughts go back to mother, moaning on the dirt like some outdated tabby going into heat, and Jeff, the skinny, sickly, and whiny excuse for a husband, doing it to her, like he's the king, the pride, the top breed, the tom cat who has beaten them all. Then a tear of betrayal slips down my acne dotted skin, and I don't even bother to wipe it away, instead, it all comes out in a heap of snot and salty water, the most disgusting thing. And I remind myself to blot, and put on that makeup, dab a little perfume behind my ears, because, tonight, I'm taking Karen's place.

Tonight, I will sneak out to visit Rick; I will arrange something for Popuri and Won… However, until then, I will write. I sigh, breathing in the scent of stale water and lavender candles permeating the air, whist thanking God that she, my mother—the whore—is gone.

Now I can write without her whiny voice staining the walls and penetrating my thoughts. I think I will use the phrase Karen used to say for the beginning. Therefore, with my pen I write neatly in cursive, gel-pen-black letters that say the starting point of my newest novel,

_'The sounds of the ocean always make me feel at peace' _


	4. Nothing At All

Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon; All I own is the angst and this story…that's all….Have a Muffin if you actually understand this.

_A/N_

_Well, All I have to say is Welcome to Rosalie's Story. Though, I'm having so much fun with this story. I keep getting further and further into the story and it keeps getting longer and longer and __longer! I__ kept having to rewrite this chapter…it just seemed…dull, but then __My Chemical Romance played on the radio, the song was "I Don't Love you" it totally inspired me. Well, that's all folks. _

_Okay, a very big thanks to:_

_Kisa-chan-2006-Wow, I love you…like…a sister. Thanks so much for putting this on your C2. You are great!_

_Ekoaleko- Thanks…You know what? I am actually thinking about toning it down. I'll save the gooey stuff for my eyes only…or maybe my blog…heehee, thanks so much, oh master of Macabre and Horror, __it__ is an honor being reviewed by you! _

_Jean cooper-Now I realize what a retard I am… I said you were Jane Cooper…you can slap me now…ugh… thank you so much for reviewing, all of you guys inspire me!_

_

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_Rosalie Anderson-Nothing at All_

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June 4rth 1990

_Rosalie Anderson 10:50 P.M._

When I was just a little kid, my Mom and Dad always said that I wasn't going to ever amount to anything except for being a whore. Now, three hours later, after Gray and I tumbled, I am what they said I would become. I don't care. It's not as if I'll find peace with anything else. When I'm with someone else, I don't have to think about my problems, I don't have to think about the bills, I don't have to think about what I am doing, I don't have to think at all.

That is what I love about being with someone else; you can have five minutes of peace, without even having to pay for it. It has become an addiction for me, when those five minutes of release are over; I have to find a new host to suckle the pleasure from...I have to find a new release, because if I don't, then… I will just be…Rosalie, plain, dry, Rosalie.

I have worked so hard to look like a woman, I use the most expensive cosmetics, I buy the silkiest clothing and lingerie, and I eat only the healthiest things. Yet, it does not please him. Because, after we're done, he just _has _to go back to her, he just _has _to realize that he loved her and not me after all. It always ends up the same anyway, I captivate them, I please them, and they get what they want. Then…they run away to say sorry to their little girlfriends about how wrong they were to let them go. I know how it works, all the little springs and cogs, its all clockwork. You Attract, He Moves, You Snooze, and You lose. They take, but they cannot seem to give back to the person they are taking from.

I should have known that it would be a one-night stand for him. Just great, all these years of sleeping around, all these years of thinking that I would never see a man more then a vessel of pleasure, and when I do, It's just like the others, just the same as all the other men I have used, except, he's the one that walked away with his head high. While he's doing this, I lay on the now empty mattress, my gray cotton sheets bunched up around my waist. Wishing that the front door had never been opened, wishing that he wouldn't have tried so hard not to wake me, and wishing that he actually wanted me as I wanted him. However, I guess the saying, everything will eventually come back to you double fold, is actually true, I used them, now I guess it is my turn to be used up.

So now, I am slipping on a pair of faded blue jeans and a yellow t-shirt from my dresser drawer. I'll just wear slippers; shoes don't really matter to me. I'm opening the front door, and walking out to the front yard. The chicken farm looms in front of me, and only one of the lights is on, Rick's room. I decide not to look and walk slowly to the square, my feet padding against the cool surface of the cobblestone road. Nobody is outside, except for a few of the late night people heading home from a buzzed night at the bar. One of the men, Saibara, leers at me and then stumbles down to his house located right next door to mine. When Gray told him that we were going to become engaged, he decided that he wouldn't speak a word to any of us. Oh well, he is just a grumpy old man, what does he know.

I continue moving on until I get to the beach entrance. Ten or fifteen feet away, I spy Popuri scuttling across the sand and then knocking on the shipper's door. An oriental looking man dressed in an outfit of silken yellow silently lets her in, his front door shutting loudly. I walk down the beach, the salty air growing stronger the closer I get to the ocean. I decide to sit down, the moon is slightly covered and the atmosphere almost feels as if tonight, something bad is happening. Then I realize that something bad is happening. Because I lost the man I have ever really loved, to the women, he left two years ago to be with me. I lay down behind a stack of crates, the furthest stack from the rest of the population. And I stare at the stars through my eyelids, imagining them blinking In and out, the clouds moving across them and covering up their beauty. My imagination hypnotizes me and speaks images in which I can only have in my dreams. His face cradled in my lap, as I silently comb my hands through his raspberry red hair, us in our own house, a baby girl in a crib sleeping soundly five feet away. This is everything, as it should be; everything that I want it to be, everything that I have wished for and have never gotten.

I must have fallen asleep, because I wake up, crusted sleep caught in the corners of my eyes. There are no footprints leading back to the square and that means that I haven't fallen asleep for too long. The ocean still calls its lonely cry and somewhere I hear someone crying. It might be little Stewart I think, or maybe his companion May. I walk out from behind the crates and approach the pier where the sobbing is lingering. It could be Mary, or maybe the newcomer Cliff with his girlfriend of his. I get closer, and it's not Cliff, it's not May, it's not Stewart, none of them. Because curled up on the edge of the pier is Gray, clutching something in his hands, letting out soft sobs while staring down into the murky waves, his eyes downcast and rimmed with purple bruises. A pair of shoes—Karen's brown leather boots to be precise—have been left on the spot besides him, a sure sign that she did what I think she would do. He turns around and spots me with sad eyes. He doesn't have to say anything; he doesn't have to do anything, and I know, that with one look, it's over, done. I look at him, take the ring off my finger and set it down on the wood in front of me. The ring on his finger is already off and in his hand. He sets it down, and pushes it into the ocean, just as he did with Karen.

A door creaks open and Popuri is standing there in the fading light crying, hair tousled and knotty, clothes mussed and wrinkled. For a moment in time, she reminds me of myself. I was always wild and seeking the pleasure, then once I gave myself fully to a person, they ate me up and ran away, just leaving the pieces. As she walks out of the beach's area and into the square, I run until I am behind a huge stack of boxes sitting on the ground, just waiting to be shipped in the morning. I lie down and close my eyes, listening to the waves and waiting, until the morning when the ferry will come to take me to my next release. My voice is cracking, but I manage to spout a few lyrics from a song that Karen used to sing at church. While I cry on the sand, my voice and the ocean are the only ones keeping me company. The waves lulling me back into that dream with just me, him, and our love, his head, forever cradled in my lap, our baby peacefully sleeping next to us.

_'The sounds of the ocean always make me feel at peace' _

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_A/N_

_I'm sorry, I'm such a hopeless romantic…I had to make this happen…I feel bad, I'm torturing them… Oh well, Angst and Drama __are__ heaven in my eyes. _

_Catch you guys later,_

_-The-Music-of-hands _


	5. Onesided

_A/N_

_Welcome to __Popuri's__ world. I just love it, that's for sure. __Well, the story… I feel so bad for her…I hate myself…ha, ha. This one almost made me cry… I don't exactly get…why…it just did. I guess I just…really get into __the characters, that's__ all. I can't stop writing this story. It's got me hooked anyway. _

_I toned this chapter down for some…rather obvious reasons. Or else I would have to rate it M. But…if you __**really **__want to read the unedited version…just go to my profile. You'll find a link. Well, happy reading!_

_A big thanks to:_

_Reima-chan- I always thought that Mary was some kind of evil...though, she's going to have her own problems soon enough. Thanks so much for reveiwing!_

_Jean Cooper-Thanks! Go ahead, smack me! I will reveiw, i've been grounded from the computer, so other than updating stories, it's been hard to read other peoples. but I get ungrounded tommorow-yay1-so I WILL reveiw! Thanks so much for reviewing a second time!_

_Thank you all for reading!_

_-The-music-of-hands_

One-Sided

June 4rth 1990

_10:30 P.M. Popuri Dawson_

She had always wanted to have the perfect ending. She had always wondered what it would be like to have the perfect life, the perfect love, the perfect prince. However, who ever got what they really wanted?

_'Not me…' _

Popuri thought, sitting on her bed anxiously twirling a strand of her dyed pink hair, while idly reading a teen novel. The clock on the dresser to her right moved slowly, the minute hand just reaching 10:30. She had to wait ten more minutes and then her mother would go to her own room and sleep with thoughts of her husband thriving in her head. Then Popuri was free to go, free to fly away for more of those precious moments. True, she wasn't sure if she "loved" Won completely. Nevertheless, there was something. The desire maybe, or the way his husky voice breathed on her neck in that certain way. Ten more minutes, and she could go to be with him. Even if he only wanted the sex, she didn't care, she just wanted to be close, and, it was all she had ever wanted. The shower in the other room turned on, and she imagined herself and Won in his bed. Blankets barely concealing, sweat shining on their shaking limbs, his musky voice breathing on her neck the way she liked.

Shivering she took another glance at the clock. While Rick was busy preparing for his little "visitor", she could change into something a little easier to take off, grab a sweater, and then take her time walking to Wons house. Slipping her dress off, she changed into a red skirt and a black top. The outfit was easy to take off in a hurry, and easier to put on in a hurry, deeming itself the perfect choice. The clock ticked ten thirty-nine, it was just enough time to grab some shoes and sneak out. She slipped on her brown flats and tiptoed down the carpeted hallway. The sounds of the shower still pounded through the walls, a sure sign that someone _was_ going to keep Rick fulfilled tonight.

Making her way down the stairs, she unlatched the door and rushed into the cool night air, taking deep gulps as she made her way out of the yard and into the street. She took her time walking to the beach, and when she actually got there, the pocket watch she had stolen from her brother told her it was 10:50. That meant she only had thirty minutes to spend with Won before he started to get antsy about the time. She quickly looked around to make sure Harris wasn't patrolling the grounds. When she couldn't see anybody and was reassured that Rick's little girlfriend could keep him company for at least a half hour, she shuffled across the sand to Won's door. Looking to her right, she saw Gray huddling on the pier; he was kneeling on the edge and crying his heart out.

_'Quick! There's no more time to spare!'_

Taking one last glance, she knocked on the door and Won appeared, letting her in before slamming the door behind them. She looked at him, no words being spoken until he broke the silence. "So you came after all…"

She looked at the floor, fumbling with her fingers.

"I always do…"

He started to walk closer until she was pushed up against a crate of oranges, while he slipped his silk yellow robe off, leaving it in a heap on the floor.

"We don't have a lot of time…"

She lifted up her head, about to say something, when he suddenly grabbed her shoulders and kissed her fiercely on the mouth. Moaning quietly, she grabbed at his back, digging her nails in. Pushing his tongue deeply into her mouth, he kept her preoccupied while he pulled her shirt off.

No bra on, he looked pleased. He stopped kissing her and blew a puff of warm air on her neck, her eyes seeming to roll back. His lips touched her ear lobe and he darted his tongue out to lick it before proceeding to whisper in her ear.

"I want you…" He kissed her again, touching her stomach before venturing lower, his hand brushing her skin sending a spark of thrill through her spine. Silently, he lifted her up and she straddled him as he stumbled to the twin sized bed.

Their breathing intensified as the second hand ticked closer. He grunted, and she let out a small whine of pleasure. As soon as it had begun, it was over. For five minutes, they laid on the bed, before he walked to the middle of the room and picked up his robe, shrugging into it. A sign that it was over, and she needed to go. Silently she put her shirt on, and pulled her skirt up. Slipping her brown shoes on, she looked at him pleadingly. He walked over grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her roughly before shoving her away.

"You need to go…"

Looking at him, she reached her hand out before letting it fall limply to her side.

"Won…" she took a breath, "I love you…and I just want to know if you feel the same…"

His breathing hitched as his dark eyes widened, fear, or surprise, he put his hand to his face and covered it, his voice muffled as he did so.

"God, Popuri…" his voice exasperated, "I thought we were just…doing this because it felt good. Not because we wanted a freaking commitment…"

She nodded her head, the tears threatening to spill out.

"It's alright; I was just wondering that's all. It's all for the fun…"

He pointed at the door.

"Popuri, you really _need to go. _All I wanted was a bit of fun, nothing else…You need to realize that. Now get out before we both get caught…"

She nodded, for fear that if she spoke; all the tears would come spewing out at once. She opened the door, and walked out; her hair in disarray, and clothes messed up and wrinkled. Rosalie, stood in front of her, staring before she ran into the shadows, her face stained with tears too.

_"Guess I'm not the only one…"_

As Popuri made her way down the beach exit, Gray's sobbing and the waves mixed in a symphony of despair. However, with all the sadness, the salty air loosened her limbs, and she straightened her back, willing the tears to stop their assent. Yet, the waves still chanted, she still cried, Won still didn't love her, and nothing would change, because it was always meant to be the same.

Popuri took one last look at the shack, a small hope lingering that he just might come after and tell her that he really loved her. The door opened and her heart jumped. But all he did was look at her with those black squinty eyes, like he was evaluating her image from a distance. Her heart slowed into the repeat of pulse, Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump. It reminded her of the waves, and the feeling still was latched onto it. He might come back, he might not…but as long as he let her into his arms, that was all she had yearned for. She walked away…her mind settling into a peaceful fog.

_'The sounds of the ocean always make me feel at peace' _


	6. Second Prize

Disclaimer: Shit, if Natsume ever reads this, they'll kill me...

_A/N_

_After forever, the next part. This time Rick, who usually I don't detest, but I thought, why not make him extra detestable in this one? Now...I feel dirty..._

_Haha, Great thanks to Ekoaleko for getting my drive going. Read her stories, they're amazing!_

_The-Music-of-hands_

Second Prize

June 4rth 1990

_Rick Dawson 10:30 P.M._

Mary is coming over tonight…and not because I begged her, because _she wanted to. _So here I am, cleaning up my manly stink, shaving the prickled fuzz left over from the last time she came over. She's supposed to come at 10:45. Not too late, not too early, just enough time for my sister to leave. I know about her and that druggie shack boy. I'm not saying I like it, but, if I sleep around with Mary, and Mom mysteriously gets a peep of that info, I'm done in for the rest of my life. So, deal's this, she keeps my secret, I'll keep her little juicy tidbit out of Manna's way. I smile, furiously scrubbing my arms with Popuri's extra scented Peach's & Cream body wash.

Yes, I can admit it, in the past month I will almost have done in two girls. Two… Yeah that's right; I'm feeling pretty smug right now. Though, the pretty little Karen had to be forced a bit. Said she didn't want to go further than tops off in our relationship. Said she wasn't ready. Well, I was ready, she should have been. She was always spacing out on our wooden bench. She was probably thinking about her ex boyfriend Gray who dumped her for some dumb blonde bimbo whore. He didn't deserve her. Though, I must say, getting into her was a struggle, but in the end it was worth it. It would have been better though if she would have complied and maybe gave me some instead of resisting and making me do all the dirty work.

This time it's Mary. I'm being conceited and all, I mean, come on, who _wouldn't _want to get into the hot librarians pants? Sure, she's not a model chick like Karen, but the sexy shy nerd is always nice to screw on occasion. This time, I'm going to make sure we'll go _all _the way instead of only half. I can hold on one more time, and this is the last. Sure at first I'll play the loving and gentle lover, but she's got to understand, when I get needy, I get rough. And I get needy _fast_.

I rinse my hair out for the last time, and cut the water just as the front door clicks shut. Popuri's gone; Mom isn't going to wake up soon, thanks to the extra dose I fed her just before dinner. And I'm all alone, waiting for Mary to show up at my door, nervously wringing her hands, obviously thinking about what we're going to do tonight. I get dressed into some simple black jogging pants and throw the towel over my bare shoulders. Stealing one of Popuri's rarely used red hair bands; I secure my hair into a loose ponytail. I slap on a dash of Old Spice to add to the flavor and then leave the bathroom in a whiff of Steam, Old Spice, and Extra Scent Peaches & Cream.

My lotion fed feet pad quietly on the tan carpet, my toes sinking into the loosely looped threads. I light a cinnamon candle in my room—for the effect—and then put on some low volume violin/piano strings. Once I'm pleased with everything, I walk downstairs to wait on the couch for Mary to come anxiously knocking on the door. Three minutes later when I'm starting to think she ditched me, a timid hand taps on the door. This is the signal to begin. Smiling I open the door, a flush spreading across her cheeks when all she see's me in is pants and a towel thrown carelessly across my shoulder. This will be too easy, she's already getting hot, and she's only in the doorway for heavens sake. I decide to take this slow, rising my way up to the real prize and the real reason I want her here.

"Hey Mary, come in." I take her hand and pull her in, letting my fingers linger on her arm before pulling away, "Do you want some tea?"

She shakes her head no and then clumsily slips her shoes off and sets them down neatly in front of the door. "I'm sorry I'm late… I have to be home by 11:30 or else Mom will come home and find out."

That's plain disgusting, her mother that is. She's always checking up on Mary as if she's some kind of a slut, while she's the one wrestling with Karen's Dad naked. Of course, Anna isn't the only one who's going to be playing the horizontal polka tonight. I'm giving Mary the once in a life-time chance to dance, and, I'm sure that she won't dare to not accept my offer. I smile—again for effect—and then point up the staircase.

"We can go hang out in my room if you want." She looks at the floor, her hands unknowingly wringing themselves, cheeks bright red.

"I'd like that…" Oh man, this is going to be good.

So I walk up the stairs, pausing every few seconds to make sure she's following me. My bedroom is ahead, and I lead the way, smiling at her in a friendly way, my hand gesturing her into the room.

"We can sit on the bed if you prefer, it's a bit more comfortable than the floor." I plop myself down the blue and green comforter and watch her look at the surroundings. Her eyes briefly flick towards the candle and the Stereo, and then she smiles, sitting down on the bed besides me. I bring out the bait, and softly take her hand in mine.

"Mary, you look really beautiful tonight…" just to help her on the way of getting exited; I stick my face in her black hair. She smells of Yogurt and Roses Shampoo, "and you smell delicious…" With this she blushes and looks as if she is going to reply. I don't give her the chance and cut her off with a kiss to her mouth. A second passes and she kisses back, slowly turning around to face me. We keep kissing, and then I start to rub my hand on her back, getting lower with each centimeter. She nervously flicks her tongue through my lips and into my mouth, twirling it around, slightly brushing the insides of my cheeks. Now it's time for the first act in the play. I separate from her for a second and then look at her, her face flushed and lips a bright pink, slightly swollen.

"Mary…" I whisper her name and then reach my hands to the bottom hem of her shirt. I slowly pull it up as I look at her with a fake produced questioning look. She nods as if she's saying its okay, and then I start to pull it up closer until I can see her purple lacy bra, a slanted cup that barely conceals—just the way I like it. She shrugs it over her head and I throw it to the ground pushing her down so that I'm leaning over her. I look at her and she manages to smile even though her breath is growing shaky. I nestle my face into the crook of her neck, taking a deep breath and then breathing out making her mewl and wiggle her hips underneath me. Take it to the next step. I look at her and then kiss her neck my tongue edging out against her soft skin. She's grabbing my hair and let out these little breathy moans. She wants me; I always knew I was good.

Then I look at her and imagine Karen, Karen letting out these little moans, Karen running her hands up and down my back. It's all so good. I kiss her again and pull her bra over her head, giving it a place next to the rejected t-shirt. Minutes later, the top is boring, and she wants more. She starts to pull her pleated skirt down, and I help her.

And then, between hot, warm, kisses filled with spit, my pants are off and I'm positioned just right. I can't hold out any longer, it has to be now. She lets out this little yelp, like she not used to some guy jamming mulch in-between her legs. Then I catch a chuckle before it comes out, because then I remember that she's_ a virgin_. This little bit makes this momentous occasion oh so much better. So I get on with it, and once again imagine Karen. Karen wriggling around underneath me, eyes squeezed shut, little tears squeezing out of the corners of her eyes, her hands clawing at my back, her little breathy moans begging for more.

Then she lets out a little scream, a few moments later I grunt. And it's all over. We lay there for a little while and then she gets out from under me and silently puts her clothing back on. I look at her and mimic her. Not caring how I act now that _I Richard Dawson _has won the prize for a second time. She looks at me and starts to cry. I'm not going to be gentle; in fact, I think I'll tell her to scram.

She sniffs.

"Rick… Why were you so rough…?"

I decide to give her a hard look. She was pretty good, even better when I imagine Karen underneath her.

"Look, it's over and done. Get over it okay. You know you liked it anyway…"

She cries some more and I think to myself, God, does this girl ever shut up? And then looking at me she moves over to the doorway, apparently meaning to leave without some sort of thanks… She's not getting away that easy.

"Mary where are you going, Shouldn't you be thanking me for actually taking my time to be with you?"

Her voice starts to get agitated…Oh man, here comes the worst part of the night.

"Look, you practically forced yourself on me; I didn't even say I wanted to "Do it". But apparently it okay with you. In fact, I'm no better then Karen."

I smile in a rude way and then laugh.

"You're right, you aren't., because Karen was better than you even when she wasn't willing."

She walks towards me and then the unexpected: She slaps me full force, hard enough to make my cheek bruise. And then, that's it. I've had it with playing the nice guy, she shouldn't have came to me and said she wanted it if she didn't want to see my true colors. So I do what I should. I punch her two times, first flat in the eye, I'm sure she saw sparks, and then second right smack in the lips. Her mouth is bleeding and she's crying up a storm. She doesn't even look at me, she just runs out of the bedroom, her footsteps thumping down the staircase. I walk down, not even bothered, and she doesn't even put her shoes on, she just picks them up and flies through the front door crying. I walk to the door where it's left open, and look outside where I can see her running down the street. The wind has picked up and my hair comes loose from the red hair tie. A strand brushes against my face and the rippling mass of dirty blonde reminds me of the ocean, and something Karen said to me right before I got to her too.

I walk inside and her voice echoes in my mind, clear as day.

'_The sounds of the ocean always make me feel at peace'_


	7. Reckless

Disclaimer: I don't own this, for the frickin' millionth time.

_A/N_

_And once again I am posting another one. And for once, I have made an ending that is unlike me. Also, this is NOT one of my favorites. In fact, I think it's the worst one. But, authors are always like that, judging themselves. _

_Here it is with much embarrassment on my part._

_TMoh_

Reckless

June 4rth 1990

_Annalisa Spencer 11:20 P.M._

_Dear Diary,_

_February25__th__ 1990_

_Today something happened that is actually deeming itself worthy to be written about. First, before I say anything about what happened today, I have to pay my respects to Mom. It's so weird to think she's been gone for two years now. Sometimes I wake up and imagine her sleepy voice, calling me from the kitchen. Then I realize it's only my Dad, screaming at me from downstairs to come and help set the tables. It's creepy and sad to think that she died, on this very day two years ago, on my birthday. I haven't celebrated my birthday ever since, it's her day now. But I don't mind. I miss her dearly, and I think about her…almost, every single day. Well, Mom, see you in heaven, then we can be a "happy" family again. Dad hasn't been the same since you left Anyway, I Love You. So now onto the "thing" that happened today. As you know, it's my sixteenth birthday, Dad is off at Dukes, drinking his heart out because of Mom, and I'm just working at the inn. It's always the same old, same old. So I was washing dishes because there really weren't any customers hanging around, when Kai just pops in and starts rinsing. Now, he's been staying here during the summers, and the winters. I think it has something to do with his parents or a "special" arrangement. Of course, his business isn't any of my concern but…anyway, that's not the point. The point is he started to help __me____ Plain old dishwashing Ann. And you know what else? After the dishes he made me a cake and since there weren't any customers, we sat around, drank cheap brand Cola and ate chocolate cake. He even helped me clean up. Then he said: "Happy Birthday Ann, I got you something." Since when did __Kai__, the person who everyone thinks is a player, take the time to find out __my __birthday? That isn't even the best part; he gave me a necklace that resembled a tiny flower. There were even tinier rubies that made the petals, and then some kind of black rock in the middle. The chain is small and silver, and even though it's jewelry, I __l__ove____it. He said that two years ago when Mom died, I was just a kid, and now I'm all bloomed and even though Mom's death was hard, I still found the courage to keep on growing. Then he patted my hand and just walked upstairs! It was __AMAZING!!__ Well, I'm tired, and ready for a nice hot bath. Goodnight…_

_Annalisa Spencer,_

_P.S. Maybe, I'll bake him something special tomorrow…can't wait!_

Ann smiled fondly at the three month old entry. That was one of the few happy moments before things had turned dark. Her father started to drink more very night and he even started yelling at Ann in rude and crass ways. He started blaming Ann for her mother's death and once, even resorting to hitting Ann. Ever since that one day, she hadn't written any more in the diary, scared that someone would read it and find out about her father and his abusive state. Someone laughing from one of the rooms upstairs caught her attention, those men… Fingering the flower necklace she had been given for her birthday three months ago she chuckled.

"Kai…"

Footsteps came from behind her and a pair of muscular arms hugged her from behind, soft breath tickling the sensitive skin on the nape of her neck.

"Yes?"

Chuckling under her breath she turned around and gave him a quick peck on the lips. His eyes twinkling as they now faced each other. He didn't live in a rented room in her inn anymore; he had saved his money, and paid Gotz to build living quarters behind the restaurant. Even though he lived there and worked at the snack shack every weekend, he took the weekdays off to help out at the inn and mainly visit Ann. Ever since Ann's birthday, he had started to hint about them as an item. Ann, secretly, had liked him for over a year, but had never told anyone, mostly because her father disapproved with his skin color and the way he dressed. Ann had almost told him that racism wasn't approved of, but she cut her words short when he hit her and sent her to her room for the rest of the day, claiming to the citizens that "_Ann was struck with a rather unfortunate bout of the flu" _

She never told Kai about her father hitting her. She only went as far as the drinking problem. What was her problem wasn't Kai's, and she needed to deal with it on her own, he would just be ruined to find out about her Dad. It wasn't because she didn't trust him…it was because she was scared that if her Dad found out that Kai knew, he would start laying hands on Kai as well instead of only her.

Ann looked at the clock. 11:20, closing time. Not that anyone was there. The only ones that would stay here this late drinking were Rick and Karen…and that was four moths ago. Rick had…raped Karen, and now he was under house arrest. Karen had been depressed and never visited anymore. Looking at Kai she smiled and he understood.

"I'm going to zip upstairs and say hello to the newest couple before I head out."

Ann nodded her head and playfully smacked him, talking in her country drawl.

"You go up on ahead and do that. I'm just going to close up, as it's actually my job…"

Walking up the stairs, he mischievously blew a kiss.

"Au Revoir My sweet Mademoiselle"

With that Ann laughed and then walked over to the front door, holding a ring of keys in her hand. Four silver keys dangled from the ring and Ann counted out their uses in her head. _'One for my room, one for the kitchen, one for Kai's snack Shack, and one for the inn'_

Just as she was about to lock it for the night, her father came stumbling through the ajar door, his tongue lisping and his voice heavy and incomprehensible. Sighing she closed the door, forgetting to lock it, and walked her dad into the kitchen, where he continued to mumble. Filling up a cup of cold water, she mixed a spoonful of cold medicine; he would thank her for this tomorrow when all he would have was a slight headache instead of a full force migraine.

"Here, Dad, drink this, it'll make your headache…less painful…"

He took the cup and stared into it, the fizzy bubbles floating up the surface.



"Ya think I'm gonna drink this horse shit?" he threw the glass, Ann barely managing to dodge it. It hit the wall, and shards of glass littered the floor, sprinkled with a light mist of the mixture she had just made for him. He looked at the floor looked at her and then looked at the floor again.

"Why did ya make this mess? I keeping tellin' ya, clean this stinking crap up, not me fault you don listen."

She stared at him, eyes hard, her red eyebrows furrowed into lines of frustration.

"Dad you're drunk. You don't know what you're talking about."

"Missy, I know what I'm talking' bout bitch. I'm talkin' bout you been a little slut and not doing your job. I should kick you out right now. Make you starve. Make you die, just like ya mother. A murderer deserves to die, ya killed yer own mother…"

His eyes were glazed over, fists were clenched, and his teeth minced together making a grinding sound. For the first time that night, Ann was afraid of her father. She didn't open her mouth to retaliate, she didn't help him sit down in a chair, and she didn't do anything. Because whatever attempt she would make, the same thing would happen, because it always repeated itself, no matter how many times you tried to stop it. So she stood there, awaiting his fist. One second, two seconds, three seconds, Three, Two One, and Boom! He grabbed her braid and slapped her, a bright flash blinding her sight for a mere second. He slapped her again, this time harder, this time right above her eye, the force of his palm causing her face to sting. Number three was coming, she made an attempt to dodge, but he just threw her against the counter and started punching her.

Two minutes, or three minutes, she didn't keep track of how long he kept it up. But once he was done, once his arms were tired, she slumped to the floor, crying, while he threw a pan to the floor, barely missing her ankle. Then, he walked into the other room and sat at one of the tables, muttering nonsense only he could understand. Stumbling to her feet, she felt a trickle of something wet run out of her nose. Blood, snot and tears clogged her skin, her lips torn, her right eye bruised, several red marks on her stomach. And she still found the strength to stand. On her way out of the kitchen, she flipped the lights off and shakily limped up the staircase, pausing every few seconds to catch her breath. Finally she reached her room and turned the knob. Not even bothering to turn the light on she moved to the dresser rummaging through the top left drawer for some peroxide and tissue.

"What the hell happened to you Ann?"

Kai's bewildered voice seemed to fill the room, and she fell to the floor, startled by his tone. Kai walked over to the light switch and flipped it, his face contorting as he looked at Ann lying there on the ground, crying and bleeding. Running over he grabbed the handkerchief off his head and ran to the bathroom, the rushing of water turning on for five seconds. Running back to her he held it to her face, while she stared at his hair uncovered. It was straight, and some of it fell into his eyes in wispy black stands.

"Ann…can you talk? Ann! Ann!!"

His voice frantic, she managed to whisper out a few words, before her throat choked up.

"I-I'm fine. Dad…he's just a little…d-drunk…"

Kai grew angry and picked her up. The handkerchief now falling to the ground unnoticed while he walked to the door with her in his arms.

"Ann, we're leaving. Don't bother about grabbing your stuff; I'll come back in the morning. You never have to see him again…"

He walked carefully down the staircase, and passed the table where Doug sat, still mumbling to himself. Kai opened the door, thankful that it was unlocked when Doug's cold hands gripped his shoulder, manually turning Kai with Ann around to face him. Ann had run out of strength; her head lolling limply from side to side. Doug glared at Kai before slamming to door shut behind him.

"Whattya think you doing with ma daughter?"

Kai stared, face blank, his voice monotone.

"I'm taking _Your Daughter _away from you. She's staying with me. And for you…well, get some rehab in those veins because Ann isn't going to be seeing you until you get all that alcohol out the window and into a bonfire."

Kai opened the door and walked out, while Doug just stood in the doorway shouting out curse words.

"You can't do this, she's ma property, and she killed her own mother."

He walked down the street saying one more sentence to Doug.

"I can and am Doug, you can't stop me…"

Doug screamed and slammed the door, while Ann looked at Kai and mumbled a faint thank you. Smiling he just continued walking until he reached the beach, the salty air fanning Ann's face. Everything was quiet, and Ann, relaxed, enjoying the peacefulness. Kai walked in, grabbed a rag and washed her face, while she laid on his bed, her eyes closed, and a small smile adorning her bruised features.

"Kai…thanks… I-I…" Kai removed the rag and slipped the covers over both of them, cradling her gently in his arms.

"We can talk when you're ready, let's get some rest…it's been a…interesting evening." With that she snuggled deeper into his arms, his hair brushing her face. It smelled faintly of salt and sweat, and she smiled, falling asleep to the ocean's song, lilting through the walls, singing them to sleep.

'_The sounds of the ocean always make me feel at peace'_


End file.
